Share a smile Friday

You know how much I love little donkeys.  You don't?  But....but, ...... they are all over my sidebar..and I'm always saying about them...and sometimes I even hit you up for a donation.... you must know...

Today let me show you an older photo ... mostly because I don't have a modern one that will produce too many smiles...but, this...hahahha...don'tcha love it when animals look right into the camera lens... even sniff or smooch it? .... they always look so cute from this angle.

This was taken a few years ago when we visited a donkey farm in B.C. ..near where my sister lives.... I forget exactly how many they had ...but, dozens of them rushed over to visit with us.  What fun!  We scratched and petted them to our heart's content... and they loved the attention.

Why don't you pop over to Annie's blog and scroll through a few Smile posts ....  it's actually quite a bit of fun.  Also, it's clever in that it makes for a pretty easy post knowing what you will be doing each Friday.  Especially today.... as I need to get on with making my mini Tortiere turnovers for tomorrow's party.  Thanks Annie..... I'm off to check out a few and then...roll some dough...

no cucumbers were killed in the process..

...but, a large portion of this one WAS totally injured and pretty much wrecked while I was experimenting with how to cut one if a person does not own a mandoline.  BIG note on kitchen table.  Must.Buy.Mandoline.

I used every size, shape and sharpness of knife, including bread knives...no go.... and, fingers were definitely at risk.   Now, I do know that mandolins are dangerous as well if a person isn't careful...I used to own a plastic version and did almost take off the end of a finger...plus, I've seen it often enough on the food channel...yikes!  Some of those people lose a lot of blood when they do silly things in their rush to get done.....

I did manage to get 4 not bad slices using my potato peeler ..but, would need a wider one to get better results...and even then, can only do about that many slices before my nails were being peeled right along with the cuke.

However, my (4 only) cute little tasty roll ups were a hit... Mr. BV scoffed them the minute he saw them, and declared them wonderful.  Now... to get me that mandoline before the dinner party on Saturday.  You would think I never do anything like entertain or have a 'part' in a party....    well, actually, you'd be right ... we never do.  So...yes...it is a big deal. To us.  And, I need to make plenty more than 4....

This is our second annual progressive party with our neighbours.  There will be 5 couples and therefore 5 courses.  I  hope it all goes the same as last year and that we all have just as much fun as we did last year as well... and...the fooooood!!  Ohh... wow! .. everybody really made exceptional effort with the food.....

Here are my cute little dilled cream cheese roll ups with tiny bits of black olive, sun dried tomato and ham... ...

a dinosaur? ..

Why the mohair critters all look so strange before turning is a mystery.  My bear heads all look like alligators to me ...and this ...which is a little lady goosie.... looks like some prehistoric monster from the lost lagoon or something.... well, maybe if I squint real hard, it does resemble a chicken ..or a goose... sorta.

The dining room table has become my play table.... seeing as I still don't have my hobby room organized or the big table in there tidied and cleared of unpacked boxes of 'stuff'.  Time for a major purge.

A rather strange assortment of tools, odds and ends I know....but, that seems to be how it is continuing with me.  Just still not organized.  The hammer is waiting for somebody to us hanging pictures.... which are still leaning against walls or pieces of furniture.......

Those little balls of wool.... my sister found them at a fair in the fall and thought maybe I could use them for something.... they don't appear to be felted as much as just rolled together somehow ... very soft and lightly gathered...

Any suggestions? ...

Shrunken heads.

My marshmallowy snow topped flower pots turned into what look like shrunken heads.  Ohhh....terrible.

 I so prefer the marshmallow look.  Soft and yummy....

The yard looks awful now.. some melting took place because we had some Chinook-y days... all sorts of nasty, unfinished things are lying naked and exposed.  Temperatures warmed up to plus numbers...even as high as +10C and then..it dropped again.. to the minus numbers and soooo... there are icy skating rinks all over the place.   Our subdivision streets are totally treacherous!  Not going out there ..so it is the treadmill again for me... well, actually I do it 'til spring when I know the roads and sidewalks are much safer.  No point being silly about that!  I saw my much younger neighbour do a cartoon like activity on his the other day... luckily, or maybe not so very lucky.. (I bet he hurts all over today) ..he spun out ..feet going in all directions; but managed to right himself as one knee was bent all funny and his ice breaking tool hit the ground and stopped his fall...but, wow... that arm  holding it, and the poor leg with that bent knee...oooooh..... not nice....

Maggi and I began a little goose made of mohair last week... first little guy...well, lady actually....   she will even have a cape and bonnet.... of the New Year.  We hope to continue this Wednesday...but, we'll see.  The Second Annual Neighbourhood Progressive dinner is this coming Saturday...and we have the Appetizers...so I must make goodies this week... and/or may be totally in panic mode by Wednesday and then I will have to opt out on playing with fun stuff til the following week.  We'll see.
If I get the little phyllo purses made today..as planned..hopefully I can play with mohair by mid-week.

I'll get a photo later of the WIP .....

Hopefully this blog will be back to making and doing fun stuff this year...   ....although, having said that .... the stupid cabinet company ... named Legacy, is refusing to even return our calls and those of our contractor.  And when they do... they have no answers for us about any of what is happening.  I fervently hope anybody living in Calgary who reads this does not use them and tells everybody they know about their ridiculous lack of caring for customers, their lack of business sense and their total ineptness in actually building cabinetry..... so that nobody has to go through what we are going through with this company.  They still have not made any effort at finishing off our microwave opening...the third attempt; the dishwasher panel; also the third attempt at getting the correct size; or the fridge panels  whose screws are almost poking through them because they indented panels on the back of them and should not have built them that way for attaching to the built-in fridge (there are very detailed, specific instructions and diagrams to be followed as outlined in the installation Guide, which they have had for months) ... but, now they want to just repair things which have not been built to specifications... . I'm not sure how that would be attempted ...  . and...the drawer front next to the oven which has 1/2 inch insets on the panel instead of 1/4 inch insets like all the other drawer and cupboard fronts in the whole kitchen .... ...The oven is now actually in position and working, thankfully, so at least I can do my other hobby....baking!  I am trying to stay calm... because it is the only way I will make it through the end of the renovation project, whenever that might be, without injuring somebody or breaking something.....

If I had any money left I would begin a lawsuit for breach of contract .... because they have been for months now.... but, what good would it do? ... only the lawyers would get anything out of it I'm sure ....
 maybe perseverance will pay off......

Share a smile Friday

"Why is it always me?  Huh? ....Why do I   ...okay, ..."we",  have to sit with our bums plonked in the snow and smile? ...HuH? Why?  Tell me that...."

"I dunno for sure ....I heard something about trying to bring smiles to lots of faces, or something like that...   I think......"

"So, keep that big smile going Elmo.... and show her your good side."

"Show her my good side?  What are you talking about? My backside is frozen to this drift and I can't move now...."

"Oh, Fa la la la la lalala ... and cheeeeeeseeeeeee !!  and maybe a miniature reindeer cookie for you Buddy...." ... maybe...... if ya help me get outta here.....







How would you like to join in and share a smile? .... check out Annie's blog ... see what's happening....

Celebrate "Christmas"....

Now I can.... all year round@!

This little guy was born on Christmas morning at the Primrose Donkey Sanctuary .... the sanctuary I like to support even though it is miles away at the other end of the country.  Sheila sent me his photo and I took a pic of the picture so you could see him too.

A tiny "Jack" as they call them.... and ....they named him Christmas.  Isn't he cute?  In his tiny coat.... awww....

I haven't been to the blog or the Facebook site yet ...but, she says they are on there as well... I'll check it out tomorrow... just want to get a pic and a blurb on here tonight before I head for bed....

You can see a photo of Sheila (and some of the donkeys) on my sidebar.  She only has a small acreage, but what a huge heart.  She rescues and saves donkeys (and other animals too) from abusive and neglectful situations ... she has even bought some from auctions...  she wants to save every animal that she hears about that is in trouble or needs help...but, who can do that? Dear Sheila...  she's giving it her all that's for sure.... she and a small army of wonderful volunteers.

When I got the photo and my little card... it made me feel like an "auntie" ....I wish I lived closer so I could go and see the new little guy..

"Are you the 'bluebird of happiness' "?

Uhm...."let me think"............................




............"No".............



But, I could be the little bird of "mehhh....it's not so bad"....

At least the sun is shining ...

the skies are blue.....

There is definitely plenty of snow now...but, it is all so pretty when it is new and fluffy and clean  ... all sparkly in the sunshine.......

It's a marshmallow world..

...in the winter......

and, especially today.

Look what happened overnight.

Temperatures dropped....and it snowed plenty of the fluffy white stuff!

Today there will also be shovelling for exercise along with 'treadmilling'...


I've got Tuscan Peasant Bread on the go....and now...I'm gonna bake an apple coffeecake.....a perfect day for that.

I am semi-ruthless....

..... got rid of 4 big boxes of stuff that the Diabetes Society was happy to collect.....and one box of interesting stuff for a friend and her friends to go through... with some crafty stuff, etc., in it.

So... it continues....
Christmas is almost put away.  How I hate to take down the tree ... and pack away all the little guys.

My exercise room is almost totally cleared of boxes and extra stuff.  Just two dismantled cabinets still to move out ... or hang somewhere or use in the storage space.  Which, by the way is coming along nicely.

Yah, yah...I know...it still looks a bit crowded and some of that is yet to be unpacked from the move down here in July before the reno...and then...I move things around a bit ..like a Rubic's cube ...et voila....... soon it is organized and tidy looking.  Well, not quite that simple...but, you know what I mean.

Today I had fun instead though... and...tomorrow, Mr. BV's brother is in town...so no time to tidy.  Must bake and cook. ... after I find time to treadmill and do some laundry...     Hmmm....what'll I  make 'em for supper?

Ruthless people....

How I wish I was one of them... (or is that "wish I were" ?..I never know on was and were)

Anyway.... I'm purging and organizing ...as I usually do the first week in January every year.  It's a New Year ritual with me.  I did mention to somebody that I'm being ruthless....but, who am I kidding?  I am probably more like a hoarder.  Well, not a reeeellly bad one..but you know...keep too much stuff.  Especially crafting stuff.  Because... well, I may need it tomorrow and then, I will have tossed it today... and then, I'm off to Michael's to buy a new one.  You know the drill.  So, somehow I just organize it a bit better..it takes up less space.

"""I'm keeping my bauble Mom....so forget tossing it.."""  And, don't event think about getting rid of the extra sleighs... you can make riders for them ... """"

And, ....I managed to find the treadmill.  Yup.  And, you know the saying, what's been seen cannot be unseen.  In my case... that includes my exercise buddy.  I began walking on it yesterday ...that felt great .....   and will continue pretty much daily now that I can see it, even if it is still surrounded by lots of boxes; empty and full.  They will be gone by tomorrow.  Absolutely.  Packed or tossed.  I'll have room then for stretching and other hopping about as I get my regular routines down pat once again.   Even the tv is back on the wall.... something to occupy me while I walk and stretch...

So, hardly time to blog right now. .. because when I have it..... good energy must be used cleverly.  It is still snowy and slippery outside in many places... and I ain't going out walking to try to get up enough speed to make it count as exercise.  Ever since my sister fell on some ice and sustained a horrible concussion, resulting in residual brain damage, I've used my treadmill all winter.  I love it.  Don't even have to put on my 'eyes' or get dressed up or anything.... just hop on and get busy walking. To my way of thinking it's the perfect answer.

.....today I'm working on the Christmas decorations.  Finding better boxes ... some smaller and some longer and will make it all fit better in the storage space.  Although, I am spoiled in the big storage space department...and it all fits.  I just like to have it sort of arranged so I can see things and know where to put a finger on what I want; when I want it.

""" Oh, no ya don't !!  We demand to be allowed to play with the fun stuff all year ... don't you dare throw them out or even pack them with the Christmas stuff..""" !!

Now...to get Mr. BV and his stuff organized.... probably won't have an better luck than I am with the other 'residents'.... sigh....  I feel kinda outnumbered around here some days.  Make that most days.

enjoying the sparklies ...

In the early morning before it gets light.  I plug it in.  For at least an hour.  And, as soon as it gets dim in the afternoon.  I plug it in again. ..   til bedtime.

That's the part of Christmas I really like.  The sparkly tree.  The decorations. Magpie is my middle name?

As you can see I moved over one of the little owls from my little counter top trees... he looks so cute sitting in the branches.. Of course, I should have bought a whole family of them now that I see how sweet they are in a tree.... maybe I can make some  ... somehow...

And, look.....no stove in the dining room or under the tree .... we hauled up our table and chairs as soon as the oven was moved into the kitchen on Dec 21st !  Just in the nick of time.

We forgot to take a photo of the little stuffed chicken too.... it was halfway through dinner before either of us realized it.  Let me just say ... first roasted chicken since July because of the renovation and there being no oven...  .... mmmmmmmmm..it was wonderful if I do say so myself ....and I DO !!

Cheers to us all !

Merry Christmas ..

I hope you all have a wonderful festive few days .....  I've been busy baking up a storm in my new oven.. the house now smells amazing..
































Just a few pics from today and a few of the bears from years gone by.....

Mouse Central was in full swing.....

I just ran over and hung these guys on the mailbox rack...hope they use their front door soon.... hahahha..

Thanks for all the good wishes on my luck with the stove and oven..... a lot of you know how much I love to bake and how I've missed having a real oven....the little toaster oven was great of course, but doesn't quite make the grade for Christmas baking.  Not that I got any done soon enough to send...but, hey..... we get the benefit now of a few days of playing with my new toy.

Chicken tomorrow!!!  Merry Christmas Everyblogbuddy.....

XXX

Wooooohoooooooo!!!

I've got my oven working !!!  There will be a little roasted chicken for Christmas dinner after all !

Baked some loaves of bread for the first time since July...... aaahhhhhh ..... nothing like the smell and taste of fresh bread.....mmmmm...

The manager of Legacy cabinets actually came with one of the finishers...and together they managed to re-build the opening for the oven... and the appliance installers came the following day to hook things up.  My stove is working!  And..I love it.

See how the opening originally didn't even match the drawers on either side?  It is hanging lower by far than it needed to ... for looks as well as for the size of our oven.  It doesn't need to be down there...and then... on the third attempt to arrange an opening that fits the oven...they still made the opening too short to cover the bottom portion.  So..even if it was the correct size ...which it still wasn't ... the width measurement was the height...and the height was the width....it looks ridiculous.

Finally...it looks like this.  Perfect.  But, it took a lot of time and effort and headaches and arguing on our part to get it the way it should be...not just the way we want it to look.

However, the dishwasher panel still doesn't fit...now it is too short... after being too long the first time.  The panels for the fridge are almost ruined.  The screws are too long for the area where they had to put them for the brackets that hold them on to the fridge door. ....and they almost punctured the front in many areas.  They are saying they will repair them.  I don't want that.  I want new panels.  Done properly.  We are "discussing" it.

For now... and until well after the New Year....I am happy to have my stove top and oven working.  I am happy to have a proper dining room area.... crowded by my pretty tree...... with plants all in the wrong area.... like we have every year when we have to make room for our tree  ...hahahha... I love it!
I like to put it there so I can admire it from the kitchen...cuz... that's where I spend most of my day.

Must go....  today I'm baking some double chocolate chunk cookies with cherries ...... and because I feel happy and have more energy...I'm going to be playing with some little walnut mice decorations too... have several on the go... assembly line fashion.  There are 3 little girls who moved into a house across the street.... I want to hang some on their doorknob.   I always like to imagine how surprised kids would be to find somebody has left them a little giftie....I know I would have been as a kid.... maybe times have totally changed and I'm just out of the loop, old and funny... ...but, ...maybe not.

 Especially at Christmas.

it's handy for piling stuff on...

and gives things an even more festive look don'tcha think? ..

Refurbished wreath..

I decided the other one was just not ... uhm.... 'substantial' enough, would be a good description, I think..... for the new door.

This one adds a bit more oomph ... has more weight, and doesn't just sort of disappear into the door.  It's one I had a few years ago...I subtracted some things...and added others and am happier with it for this year.

It's not turning out to be the Christmas we thought it would be.... when we began the reno in mid July.

We should have been totally finished and moved back in by end of October... plenty of time to enjoy the new surroundings... "learn" my new stove and have fun doing lots of Christmas baking.

It's not happening.

The cabinet company is messing with our house, our hearts and our heads.  They are still trying to figure out how to build the opening for my oven.  It is just a regular built in oven.  They are supposed to be cabinet makers.  I don't get it.

I finally got mad and wrote a letter to the manager...at the same time our contractor managed to contact the same guy... and told him in no uncertain terms to get his butt over to our house and get the mess sorted out.  He had no idea of course, of what has transpired...everybody is covering their own derrieres.... and how many times things have been done and re-done since the first day of installing, when several things were already not right.  He finally found our files...  did arrange to meet us on Monday last..to try to set things in motion and get us finished.  He showed up and was a bit surprised at our distress and our situation.  He promised I would have an oven by Christmas.  But, he also promised to call me the next day to set up an appointment to get it done...and didn't bother calling.

Finally, on Thursday, I called him and he apologized...again.... and said he should have called, but didn't, and that he had given our info to somebody else and thought she was calling.... but, took blame for not calling and asked if I had the date for fixing things.  All well and good, but, still I had no clue as to what was happening and had to call him to find out.  I still didn't have a date ..nobody had called.  He then told me he will be here this Thursday, with a cabinet finisher, and the two of them will build the oven opening... re-build the microwave opening... put on the panels for the fridge and the dishwasher and finish up the other 'deficiencies' as they refer to them.  My fingers are crossed...but, I don't hold out much hope for anything at this point.  We have been through so many fixings and screw ups already...and this may end up being not much better.  Very upsetting for the horrible expense and the fact that these guys are supposed to be one of the best in the city.  At this point, there is not one redeeming feature to recommend this company to anyone I know.

My oven still sits in the middle of my dining room.  Even if they do get the opening right on the fourth attempt.... will the appliance installers be able to come on Friday?  who knows.  Nobody is saying.  And, mostly... nobody cares from what I gather.

I was so upset last week that I didn't even want to put up the tree.   Mr. BV said "oh, no you don't"..... "you love Christmas... you know how you love the sparkly, pretty tree" .... "we are definitely putting it up".  "Now".
He dug around in the still overstuffed storage space and found it... dragged it up and put it together.  Plugged it in and was already putting on the first balls while I sniffled a bit in the kitchen, and heated some leftovers for us to eat.  We poured our little snifter of Bailey's and turned on some Christmas carols and decorated the tree.  Our usual tradition.  It is beautiful.  And I do love it.  He says if the damn oven is still there on Christmas Eve...we are just gonna put a big bow on it and shove it closer to the tree.

We won't be able to cook a chicken in the little toaster oven...but, hey...I can make my special Artichoke Chicken casserole.

It won't be the Christmas we hoped for .... but it will be great compared to a lot I lived through before I met Mr. BV.    I will be warm, cozy, and loved ... and there will be food.  Nothing more I could ask for.

looking Christmas-y.....

I'm not sure if my usual wreath looks a bit dainty on the new coloured door.... it looked fine on the old door.  Maybe I'll dig out my previous one...or.... make a new one....or just add a bit to this one.  Up close it is much better looking.... ....

Look, I've put up the tree

...er .....trees.... ...

Can't do much else so just trying to have some silly fun.

back spasms

I've been laid low, so to speak.... although, it is almost more painful to lie down than it is to sit or stand and walk around.  Wandering around hanging onto the counters and walls.  Feeling useless.  Doing a lot of swearing.  So unladylike..... as usual.  As a matter of fact, Mr. BV is threatening to send me to etiquette and deportment classes when this reno is finished because I've become so bad......

Since Thursday, when the movers moved stuff and I didn't do much at all except direct traffic...  I have been unable to do much in the bending forward department... which is probably the position that did me in.  Washing floors, cupboards and such.... even washing the plant leaves...arms out in front and big back muscles doing a lot of the work....guess it all finally caught up with me.  Usually my low back gets me...but, this time it is right at waist height.  Totally unusual.  And totally painful.

Today I'm actually feeling quite a bit better ...but, it sure is taking it's sweet time.

Winter is here to stay I think.  Look at these fluffiest of snowflakes we were having today.  They remind me of something we used to buy as kids...in packets.... to sprinkle on the Christmas tree.  It was just like this stuff.... which of course, makes the real thing seem so unreal to me.  I had to go out and take some pics.... even in -11C.... brrr...it feels every bit of that today.  So glad to have a nice warm house.... even is everything is not yet finished and not looking like it will be soon either.   Christmas baking may be done in the toaster oven.....













Yup.... I still have my little toaster oven...it's now sitting on the kitchen counter, so I can bake.  I do have a working fridge even if the panels are not on the front.  I still have my old microwave even if the new one sits idle ..waiting for it's opening to be built... and the dishwasher is working ... also without a front panel.

Actually that's a pretty funny story...I sent this blurb to my sister... who by the way is laid up with a broken leg now.  She fell off her hay trailer into the wheel well area while trying to  lay a tarp over the hay to cover it from being snowed on.... and that was it. Broken just below the knee..... oh, man... poor Vikki......

Anyway without further ado.... the story.....

 The dishwasher is hooked up even though the panel on the front is just the stainless steel underpart of things...  so I was excited to try it seeing as I’ve had no dishwasher to use since mid July.  We got all the settings adjusted...and started it...  felt pretty smug with ourselves ... let it run a cycle with dishes in and clapped when the “Plus Dry” or whatever cycle it is called began to work.  It pops open the door and lets the steam out as the fan is going ..etc...   and then..it continues to run 'til the cycle is finished and turns itself off and opens the door... ... huh?  No door opened.  There was this little stick kind of thing there .. about 3 inches long attached to the dishwasher and to the door at the top... ...holding the door closed ... and we couldn’t figure out what to do with it at all.  We read the booklet cover to cover and back again... looked online to see if we could figure anything out... actually saw another guy with exactly the same problem...and no luck at all.  Everybody finally said ...call Miele repair.  I did first thing yesterday.  The lady on the other end said ...just pull open the door Veronica.... I said I had tried that.  She said... pull it.  I said..how hard?  I am afraid to break this thing... whatever it is.  She said again...just pull the door open.  So I yanked ...and open it came.  Then... seeing as it had long since turned itself off... she said to turn on the power so the computer began to work again.  I hit the power button.... ..and voila...the little stick thingy retracted!  What the heck!??  I told her they need to add something to their manual.  They definitely have to show a picture of it...quit saying there is a latch or whatever under the door opening slot and just say ...give a good tug to open it.  She said they definitely should do that...because everybody who has this model calls with the same problem.  I guess it is another kid safe type of thing... just needs more firmness to open it.  Boy... they try to keep kids too save these days.  They don’t learn anything.  No consequences anywhere it seems now.  Anyway... there they were ...my dishes.  All sparkly and clean and definitely cool now...three days later...hahahha... we all had a good laugh.  

See the white plastic latch type thingy?   That was the culprit.  Other than that..... it works brilliantly.